this is fios. on "world news," on alert. brian ross with new details about what terrorism officials are watching for tonight. roller coaster. the populist uprising threatens the fed chairman, and the stock market dives. big news from big department stores about what could be lurking on your purse. mud, rain, man's best friend make it to dry land tonight. and, michelle obama, wife, global superstar, now, a crusader for all our children. so she's our "person of the week." good evening. we begin tonight with a new level of watchfulness on international terrorism. just hours ago, great britain raised its threat level to severe, while here at home,

intelligence officials are again tightening focus on airline passengers, and this time, including women. brian ross has been working his sources all day and is here now. >> reporter: diane, british officials say they raised the level because they believe an attack is highly likely, though not imminent. and u.s. officials have their own serious concerns that al qaeda is about to strike again, and this time, with female suicide bombers traveling on western passports. officials say they have reports that at least two of the women may try to world a u.s. airline overseas, afternoon being trained as suicide bombers in yes, ma'amen. >> u.s. intelligence does believe there are other suicide bombers out there who have been given missions to attack the united states, and they have not been found. >> reporter: authorities tell abc news the accused northwest airlines bomber gave the fbi specific names and descriptions or several non-arabs who trained with him in yemen.

>> there are also women who have been trained. so, al qaeda is rook looking to put together an attack using people who would not fit a profile that we'd be looking for. >> reporter: u.s. officials say in one 48-hour period last weekend, six different people on the no-fly list were stopped from boarding u.s. flights. two of them in london, attempting to board an american airlines flight to miami and a united airlines flight to chicago. the four others were stopped attempting to board flights in kenya, the caribbean island of st. maarten, in ft. lauderdale and minneapolis. at a conference today in europe, homeland security secretary janet napolitano said the screening system is now working much better. >> we decrease substantially the ability of the terrorists like al qaeda to exploit the travel system to kill the citizens of our country.

>> reporter: u.s. officials say it is most likely the six no-fly list stops, highly unusual number, are the result of a newly expanded no-fly list and extra scrutiny. but some law enforcement officials say it has the appearance of a well-organized probe to find weak spots in the security system, diane. >> with yemen still the most active breeding ground? >> reporter: absolutely. the fbi and other law enforcement agencies are beginning a sweep now in this country of every single person in the u.s. who they know has traveled to yemen or been in contact with a radical cleric in yemen. very tight focus. >> double and triple checking the lists now. >> reporter: that's right. real scrub. >> thanks to you, brian. and we turn to other domestic news, and what a tumultuous day it was in politics and the stock market. for the third straight day, stocks took a nose dive. the dow lost more than 200 points, and that makes it a 436-point drop for the week. yesterday, the market was driven down by jitters about the obama

plan to reign in american banks. today, by wavering support for the chairman of the fed, ben bernanke, and jon karl is in our studio tonight following for us all day. >> reporter: diane, just a month ago, nobody could have imagined that ben bernanke's nomination could be in trouble. but now he appears to be caught in the crossfire of voter anger. he startled the month as "time's" man of the year. he may end the month looking for a job. ben bernanke is a central member of the president's economic team. his reconfirmation had been considered a sure thing, but today, senators in both parties came out to say they would oppose his nomination. >> he has been put in place there to do a job. you can't pull him out right in the middle. >> reporter: he may become a victim of the populist anger that toppled the democrats earlier this week in the massachusetts special election. >> just this sense of anxiety, of frustration, of anger. the electorate is looking to

take it out on somebody. >> reporter: per unanimous keep's opponents say he deserves blame as his role as fed chairman when the economic crisis hit. >> he has been at the table of economic policy-making in this country for eight years, when mistake after mistake has been made. >> reporter: as democrat barbara boxer said today, "it's time for main street to have a champion at the fed. our next chairman must represent a clean break from the failed policies of the past." retiring republican senator judd greg is one of the few in either party publicly supporting bernanke. >> failure to come firm him would send a devastating message to our markets and to the world markets, generally, that the implications of it are hard to contemplate but none of them are good. >> reporter: the white house is trying to channel voter anger by targeting wall street, proposing big new taxes and regulations aimed at the banks. the markets don't like that,

either. late today, majority leader harry reid came out to say that he will vote for per unanimous keep's renomination. we are told that white house officials, including tim geithner and rahm emanuel are making calls to wavering senators, trying to line up support. and as of today, the overwhelming majority of senators in both parties are refusing to say how they will vote. >> thanks, jon. and the president spent the day in ohio today, promising to fight for jobs, more jobs. and here's jake tapper on that. >> reporter: in a working class suburb of cleveland today, the president returned to the gritty populist language he used as a candidate in this key swing state. >> i'm trying to solve the problems that folks here in ohio and across this country, face every day. >> reporter: the president acknowledged that health care reform legislation is on life support after that stunning republican upset in the massachusetts senate race. >> we've gotten pretty far down the road.

but i've got to admit, we had a little bit of a buzz saw this week. >> reporter: and he used the word "fight" -- >> that's why i'm fighting. so long as i'm president, i'll never stop fighting -- >> reporter: 20 times, talking about how he was taking on powerfpower ful interests and the financial sector. >> we want our money back. >> reporter: in the year since the inauguration, unemployment in ohio has increased by nearly 3%, and the president's approval rating here has plummeted. >> i didn't take this up to boost my poll numbers. you know the way to boost your poll numbers is not to do anything. >> reporter: candidate obama was here in ohio almost two years ago. he spoke at a dry wall factory. within two months, the factory shut down. operations manager dave beatler is 2 of the original 70 still employed. back then, he like what candidate obama had to say.

today? >> my question is, why don't you con essential tralt on getting jobs established, getting the unemployment rate down and worry about the other stuff. >> reporter: ken is among those who lost their jobs here and still looking for work. >> there is just none out there for, especially my age. >> reporter: after a tour of a sporting goods factory, the president was presented with a custom made presidential state of the art football helmet, diane. he and a reporter joked about how he might need to wear it during wednesday's state of the union address. diane? >> jake, thanks to you. and we turn now to the weather, because up and down california today, we saw people trying to dry out and clean up from the mud from those powerful storms. and now arizona is holding on. once again tonight, sam champion. >> reporter: in cave creek, arizona, the fate of this house is at the mercy of the raging waters. rained have pummeled this state since monday. rebecca thomas is there. >> just upstream from here, part

of a home is dangerously close to falling into the wash. all it will take is another heavy downpour. >> reporter: it's been the largest winter storm to hit arizona in a decade. winds over 65 miles an hour in the phoenix area, 45 inches of snow in flagstaff. in many places, people were told to just stay home, as roads were closed and the governor declared a state of emergency. in northern arizona last night, a 6-year-old boy being taken to the hospital by his parents was swept away when they pickup truck was pushed off the road. the boy's parents and another child managed to escape. and there have been evacuations. in winnen, 100 residents were forced from their homes after a river breached its banked and flooded half the small town. this morning, a dramatic rescue of a woman trapped on top of her car. and this storm isn't done yet, as it moves east, the border areas between arizona and new mexico could get 8 to 12 inches of rain. and all of that weather directly

related to the storms. they are still cleaning up after them in california. let's look ahead to the next 24 hours. there is a target zone of additional rain that's just east of phoenix and north of tucson. and then the storm continues further east on saturday and sunday. saturday, the snow day. it looks like for the plains and also in part of the rockies. then, sunday, there's some heavy rain coming for east of the mississippi river. cities like new york and d.c. could pick up two inches of rain. diane? >> here it comes across the country and so fast, that water was moving sam. and i'm sure you saw this, but in california today, there was a dramatic rescue, took a long time, had a lot of tv viewers pulling for a survivor the rescuers named lucky. a dog stranded in the los angeles river for more than an hour, scrambling, paddling, trying to find safety. finally, a helicopter, dropping a rescuer into the water. a struggle to get the frightened dog into his arms.

the dog even took a bite out of the rescuer. we're told tonight the dog is fine. the firefighter, being treated at the hospital. a lucky dog. and still ahead on "world news," amazing new rescues in haiti, and what childhood is like amid the rubble. an abc news exclusive. is there led on your purse? and our "person of the week." her intriguing first year and her new purpose in the year to come. water can be good for constipation but drinking more and more may not always help. now you can make water work harder with new dulcolax balance. dulcolax balance combines with water and helps bring it where it needs to go... so it works with your body to restore balance. new dulcolax balance...

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ask your doctor about plavix. protection that helps save lives. people with stomach ulcers or other conditions that cause bleeding should not use plavix. taking plavix alone or with some other medicines including aspirin may increase bleeding risk, so tell your doctor when planning surgery. certain genetic factors and some medicines, such as prilosec, may affect how plavix works. tell your doctor all the medicines you take, including aspirin, especially if you've had a stroke. if fever, unexplained weakness or confusion develops, tell your doctor promptly. these may be signs of ttp, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition reported sometimes less than 2 weeks after starting plavix. other rare but serious side effects may occur. and now, to haiti, and two more rescues today. survivors buried for ten days after the earthquake. and 84-year-old woman was rescued from a building in port-au-prince and doctors say they simply do not know how she survived without food and water. and a 22-year-old haitian man was pulled alive from a

tunnel and doctors say he is doing well. and amid all the destruction of an earthquake, what we've been showing you these past days, nothing is more beautiful than the resilience of a child. so, juju chang has someone she wants you to meet tonight. >> reporter: amid the skal lor, a hand made car catches the eye. did you make this yourself? i like the doors, very fancfanc. turns out, there's a fleet of cars ready for drag racing, custom made. 13-year-old jean shows me how he makes them. what are you pretending about the car? >> i imagine things that would make life better. >> reporter: life for him exists under a plastic tarp with his aunt. what kinds of things has she asked you to get? >> when she asks for water i go and get it. >> reporter: he fills the bottle for his aunt whoshgts is trying to care for seven assorted nieces and grandkids, but first,

a drink for himself. he washes where he can, wearing a shirt donated by a cell phone company. do you like sports? >> he likes playing soccer in the street. >> reporter: and yet he manages to carve out a childhood in all the bleakness, playing hand games with new friends, something akin to hot potato. then, an improvised rap in creole. his rime rhymes are about his for a brighter future. creative poetry blossoming in an unlikely garden. juju chang, abc news, port-au-prince, haiti. and now a reminder. abc is joining other brosers in sponsoring a telethon tonight to raise money for haiti, featuring the biggest names in music, movies, sports. it begins at 8:00 eastern time. and also for haiti relief, simon cowell has lined up paul mckarlt knee, coldplay and others to make a recording for haiti. the song will be rem's "everybody hurts."

♪ the day is long ♪ and the night ♪ the night is yours alone >> and that for haiti. coming up here, whoever suspected a danger, lead on your purse? wellbeing. we're all striving for it. purina cat chow helps you nuture it in your cat... with a full family of excellent nutrition... and helpful resources. ♪ purina cat chow. share a better life. and you worry your pipes might leak (pipe doctor) ask your doctor about treating with vesicare. (pipe woman) then you could treat yourself to a night out with fewer urges or a day with ewer leaks,

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and now, an abc news exclusive. we have word tonight two giant chain stores, h and m and new york and company, have agreed to begin testing their purses for lead. yes, lead. and it comes after an investigation by the center for environmental health. the group hopes other big chains like target will join in next. lisa fletcher tells us why. >> reporter: it is a disturbing discovery, found in the aisles of some of the nation's biggest stores. the center for virmal health went to 100 of the nation's top retailers, including target, walmart, macy's and kohl's and bought purses. they tested them for lead and discover what they say are disturbingly high levels. >> this is something every woman of child bearing age ought to be paying attention to. >> reporter: led ad is used to soften materials and make colors

last longer. but according to the group, in some tests, bags had levels 30 to 100 times higher than the federal limit for all children's tem items. the concern with backs like this is that lead can rub off and onto things that you are carrying, like your lunch. it can rub off onto your hands or your children's hands and it can become ingested, making its way into your body. so, how much lead can rub much a purse when touched? the group found levels high. lead has been implicated in a laundry list of health concerns, mostly for children, pregnant women and women that hope to become pregnant. some have linked childhood lead exposure to aldz himmer's later in life. >> when it is something that mom is carrying with her all the time, it's rubbing against her clothes and kits, it's a place you don't want to have lead. >> reporter: the companies in

the settlement agreed to pull suspect backs from their shelves in california where the lawsuit was filed. and to pay for tests on backs to enforce tougher lead standards going forward. retailer h and m told us they will enforce tougher standards globally, and if that broader sellement with retail giants is achieved, it could mean tough new lead standards for bags in stores across the country. lisa fletcher, abc news, los angeles. and for more on the lead settlement, and the stores involved, go to our website, abcnews.com. and when we come back, our "person of the week," michelle 0 obama. looking back at her first year and looking ahead to the next mountain she says she wants to climb. ring. progresso. i have a question about these clams. the taste is amazing. clam transfer. clams. are these really fresh-caught clams in your new england clam chowder? we take what the ocean offers, be it clams, camaraderie or heartache.

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i will never make that mistake again. that's when i'd had it with frequent heartburn. and that's when i got prevacid®24hr... and my sense of humor back. (announcer) the #1 prescribed acid reducer brand over the last decade is now over-the-counter to treat frequent heartburn a full 24 hours. prevacid®24hr. when you've had it with heartburn™ and finally tonight, our "person of the week." this week has been the one-year anniversary of barack obama as president, and so, it's also a big anniversary for the woman at his side, who began the year by calling herself mom in chief, and ends the year turning to all children, not just her own.

♪ at last >> reporter: one year ago, there she was, a woman looking at her husband. a mother about to shepherd young children into the peril of the endless spotlight. but she was something else, too. independent, an attorney, now stepping into america's most traditional role. the full-time nonpaying mul multidimensional job of first lady. first, the things she would not change. playtime with her daughters. a white house lawn is still a backyard. date night with her husband. and their life long sparring match. >> if you argue, which one of you has the last word? >> i do. >> this is true. >> reporter: just as interesting, what she did change. for instance, style. younger, freer, signaling she's happy to be michelle. and showing her heart.

that day she reached out to the girls at a diverse school in london. >> it is important for the world to know that there are wonderful girls like you all over the world. >> reporter: and the night she reached out to an 82-year-old queen of england. and now, as her first year ends, michelle obama has announced a sworn mission to take on a killer. >> the statistics still never fail to take my breath away. >> reporter: so many young children in america who already show signs of high blood pressure. 1 in 13 teenagers with high cholesterol. >> right now, nearly one-third of children in america are overweight or obese. that's 1 in 3 children. >> reporter: the result threatens to be an epidemic of diabetes. how can children, in the richest nation on earth, face a future of lost sight, limbs, life? >> study published just this month found that obesity could now be an even greater threat to

america's health than smoking. in fact, medical experts are predicting that this generation is on track to have a shorter life span than their parents. wow, look at these. look at that. >> reporter: she's already deployed one weapon. a symbol. the white house kitchen garden. she launched a call to exercise. think of it as dancing. and she's challenged schools to do what they can to save bodies while expanding brains. so, what if one year from now, the long assault on the health of american children begins to reverse. what if finally childhood obesity has met its match? and so we choose first lady michelle obama, the woman who nurtured her own family through 367 days in the white house so far. and is determined to try to change the future for everyone else's children, too. we hope you have a wonderful weekend.

we'll see you right back here on monday. until then, i'm diane sawyer. good night. (announcer) you can make a bigger difference in the world.

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